Henry's Freedom Box by Ellen Levine

This simply told story is about Henry "Box" Brown and is based on the actual life and narrative by the same man. The story begins when he is a child, and given to the master's son, who sends him away from his family to work in a tobacco factory. Henry grows up, falls in love, marries and has children who are sold - never to be seen again. In great distress, and fed up with his situation, he forms a plan to be packaged into a box and shipped to Philadelphia where he can be free. With the help of friends, his plan is a success.

The imagery of the story is beautifully done, and while the narrative itself is simple and felt as though it jumped abit too much, the illustrations were able to carry where the words were lacking. This is a great book for introducing children to the idea of slavery and US History. It doesn't linger on the horror, but tells a man's simple, yet, heartbreaking story.